A public vote of thanks to Symantec

[Tannin]

Phone rings this afternoon.

"Do you fix computers?"

"Yes, madam. What sort of problem do you have?"

Long rambling explanation follows, essentially describing the classic symptoms of a severe spyware and virus infection, coupled with the usual major performance hit that Norton Anti-virus inflicts. She's been running "The Norton" as she calls it, for some years, just put a new version on.

The same call, barring minor variations, that I get about three times a week. It will no doubt take me an hour or so to sort out, plus a fair bit of running on the bench while I do other jobs and wait for the scans to finish.

Net result, $75. Easy work.

Thankyou Symantec. If it wasn't for your hopeless crap so-called security product, I'd have to get a real job.

 

[ddrueding]

Totally agree. Some people complain when I tell them the Symantec product they just bought is crap. They ask if they can install it on another computer they have (!). If it's bad for your fast computer, it won't do that P2/333 any good, either.

 

[Buck]

Customer: But it came in a pretty box, cost lots of money, and is popular! It must be good! Everybody can't be wrong?

Me: It let your system get infected, right?

 

[Sol]

The other day I was discussing iTunes with a guy in the hostel I was staying in, he was kinda surprised that I didn't think that it was all that good and asked what I used citing some examples including WMP and realplayer. When I pointed out that I didn't think they were much good either he jokingly quipped, "What about Norton anti-virus, I hope that's o.k I just paid for a 12 month subscription for it..."

All I could think to say was "Um....", apparently being asked to accept that pretty much every media player he'd ever heard of was not up to my standards was easier than not trusting Symantec... I fear the path to truth is both ultimately hopeless and highly profitable...

Ironically I gave him a copy of VLC a couple of days later to play some media files that nothing on his laptop would handle... Switching over to a non-horrible anti-virus solution was just to annoying to help a stranger out with though, although I did suggest it when he asked for tips on improving the systems performance.

 

[Tannin]

I hear you, Sol. Sometimes, you just have to shut up, shrug your shoulders, and walk away. You can show someone that one or two things they believe in are wrong, but when they have the whole damn thing arse-about ... best to strike up a conversation about the football, or Ford vs Holden, or some other thing where they won't make a complete fool of themselves.

 

[ddrueding]

It's becomming more and more likely that I will end up teaching dance for a living, and doing computers as only a hobby. I'm really looking forward to the time I can pretend to know nothing about the damned machines.

 

[CityK]

describing the classic symptoms of ... the usual major performance hit that Norton Anti-virus inflicts.
...
Thankyou Symantec. If it wasn't for your hopeless crap so-called security product, I'd have to get a real job.

I was just skimming over some user comments, made on OSNews, about the newly released info about future AMD Quadcores, and I saw something that is humoursly related to Tannin's post:

One person wrote "[FONT=arial, sans-serif, trebuchet ms]99% of the public doesn't need two cores, let alone four. Hell, in 5 years, maybe 64bit will actually be utilized. ...The only thing these dual core, and quad core, systems are/will be good for is acting as space heaters and running up electric bills."

To which the next poster wittly responded "[/FONT][FONT=arial, sans-serif, trebuchet ms]Heck Norton needs 2 cores by itself."

So it would seem Tannin, that perhaps the CPU manufacturers also owe an air of gratitude to Symantec as well
[/FONT]

 

[paugie]

Wish that I was that poster... It was Tony?

 

[Mercutio]

It's becomming more and more likely that I will end up teaching dance for a living, and doing computers as only a hobby.

That's a good and bad thing. I love computers too much to give up on them as a career, but the writing is on the wall for those not in corporate IT. Retail's rough. It's hard to justify service work. Programming is largely done overseas... Your statement here is just a sad commentary on the state of computer-related industries.

On the other hand, there are absolutely days I wish I could write for a living. Or sing. Or play piano. Or gratify women sexually.
There's a great deal to be said for doing something because you love it instead of doing something practical.

 

[CityK]

On the other hand, there are absolutely days I wish I could...gratify women sexually.

If your self esteem is so low that you don't think you could already (which isn't true), then build some up ... build yourself up. Join a gym and hit the treadmill & weights. In a couple of weeks you'll notice some change. In six weeks, others will begin to notice a change in you too. In six months, others will be commenting on how good your looking these days. In a year, woman will start salivating while looking at you shopping in the supermarket. In two years, oceans will part and woman will swoon to your very presence - oh, el Mercutio!

 

[CityK]

your = you're in one instance above

 

[CityK]

It was Tony?

If the site had been OS2news, then I would say there was a good chance it was the ol' felleh ... but alas, it was only OSnews, so I doubt it.

 

[Mercutio]

I'm not an exercise kind of guy. I don't even like the idea on a conceptual level. I'll even go so far as to say that I have a mental block against spelling the word "exercise" correctly. Usually it takes a minute or two to play with the c's and s's and z's and x's until it looks right.
I don't even like to leave home unless I'm getting paid. I had my groceries delivered until the delivery company closed. Now I go get them at 2 in the morning on a weekday.

There will be no girls swooning in my future.

 

[Buck]

Using the word "exercise" gives me the impression of monotony and being regimented – almost like a death march. However, I do enjoy the few opportunities I get to be in the great outdoors. Lately that has been including a 2.5 or 4 mile slow jog. I’m terribly exhausted afterward, but it makes me feel good. Scheduling the same jog at the gym and on a treadmill is a put-off for me. If I go to the gym it will be for weight-training, not jogging. True weight-training can be done at the bar anway.